In the book called Caesars Messiah, Joseph Atwill makes a very strong case that Christianity was invented as a political tool to control and squash rebellious jews that were at that time dangerous to the Roman rule. Hatred towards jews (until the creation of the racist apartheid state) was a result of this made up religion.

(13-11-2013 08:09 AM)I and I Wrote: In the book called Caesars Messiah, Joseph Atwill makes a very strong case that Christianity was invented as a political tool to control and squash rebellious jews that were at that time dangerous to the Roman rule. Hatred towards jews (until the creation of the racist apartheid state) was a result of this made up religion.

(13-11-2013 08:09 AM)I and I Wrote: In the book called Caesars Messiah, Joseph Atwill makes a very strong case that Christianity was invented as a political tool to control and squash rebellious jews that were at that time dangerous to the Roman rule. Hatred towards jews (until the creation of the racist apartheid state) was a result of this made up religion.

Quote: Joseph Atwill makes a very strong case that Christianity was invented as a political tool to control

Atwill's "case" (to give it more dignity than it deserves) is laughable. What history tells us is that the Romans had no trouble controlling the jews in the traditional manner: They sacked and burned Jerusalem and killed a shitload of them. The message was delivered so thoroughly that in 115 when jewish revolts erupted elsewhere in the east the jews in Palestine said "no thanks, boys....we'll sit this one out."

In fact, the only reason the jews rebelled again in 135 is because Hadrian provoked them and they still didn't need any bullshit religion to control them. The legions did just fine and the jews were barred from their homeland.

If you want a Roman emperor who utilized xtianity for his own, political, purposes you have to go to Constantine in the 4th century.

I read an article along the same lines not to long ago, and christianity is the kinder gentler judaism...and I see no reason for the emperor not to use all the weapons of propaganda at his disposal...It's not like legionaries where a cheap heck those guys are valuable units that could be busy building roads! *civ reference, ehh? anyone?

... or is there new information available now that warrants the new thread?

Overall I support questioning the conventional wisdom about how Christianity began. That said I haven't seen what I consider credible evidence for this particular hypothesis. I remain open to new information so long as it doesn't take too much effort The linked documentary already seems biased against Christianity and is pushing ideological buttons within the first two minutes of the content.

In the end it doesn't really make a difference to my life or my perception of Christianity or Judaism. The idea that Christianity's origins are no more credible than those of Mormonism isn't surprising to me in the slightest. I've not considered them credible for some years.

Give me your argument in the form of a published paper, and then we can start to talk.